Pictured are the 2025 Jackson Apple Festival Queen and Court members, who were selected in a contest back in April at Jackson Middle School Auditorium. From the left are First Attendant Emily Wiggins, Queen Tayler Williams and Second Attendant Sophie Williams. (Photo Courtesy of Aeron Johnson Photography Studio)
The third week of September is just days away, and that can mean only one thing — the annual Jackson Apple Festival will magically appear in downtown Jackson.
The 84th Annual Jackson Apple Festival will be held Tuesday, Sept. 16 through Saturday, Sept. 20. The theme for this year’s festival is “Ferris Wheels and Apple Thrills.”
Each year, the Jackson Apple Festival honors a distinguished member of the community as the Grand Marshal. This individual is chosen for their dedication, service, and positive impact on Jackson. Dave Channell has been named the 2025 Jackson Apple Festival Grand Marshal. Channell devoted more than five decades to serving the community with passion, pride and unwavering dedication as a firefighter. He was the fire chief toward the end of his career.
Be sure to watch for the 2025 Jackson Apple Festival Queen and Court who makes appearances during the festival. Tayler Williams is the queen this year, and her court includes First Attendant Emily Wiggins, and Second Attendant Sophie Williams along with 2024 Little Miss Apple Festival Emma Dunn.
All booths and exhibits will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. This year, rides will be open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; on Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.; and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
This year, there will be an unofficial start to the festival with a Contemporary Christian Concert on Monday, Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. on the General Mills Stage. It will feature Jesse Reynolds and friends.
The festival will feature great activities, attractions, and entertainment for the whole family. The following highlights are just a few examples of what the festival has to offer each day.
The festival kicks off on Tuesday, Sept. 16, with the festivities opening to the public at noon. At 2 p.m. the annual Apple Peeling Contest will start.
The Opening Ceremonies, along with the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, are scheduled for 4 p.m. at the General Mills Stage. This year, the Jackson Apple Festival will be introducing the “Red Coat Club” prior to the Opening Ceremonies. This recognition will occur at 3:30 p.m. This club was created to honor and recognize those individuals who have dedicated 35 or more years of service to the Jackson Apple Festival and the Jackson Area Festival & Events organization (JAFE). Those honored this year are Alan Stockmeister, Bryan Davis, Bill Cole, Curt Wiggins, Ed Chinn, Joe Wyant, John Jones, Mitch Costilow, Tom Perry and the late Mike Costilow.
Tuesday night’s Main Stage entertainment will feature the popular Lip Sync Contest at 8:30 p.m. That contest is open to age groups 3-10 and 11-18. There can be up to six people per act with a limit of three minutes per song. The acts and songs must be family-appropriate, and songs are preferred to be on a flash drive. The groups can sign up until 6 p.m. There will be prize money given to the top three age groups.
Wednesday, Sept. 17 is sure to draw a crowd of children and parents, with a full schedule and all the rides one can ride for free from 12 to 4 p.m. The Preschool Parade happens at 9 a.m.; the School Parade happens at 11 a.m.; with the Opening Parade beginning at 7:45 p.m.
Also on Wednesday, be sure to check out the Main Stage for the Ice Cream Blizzard Eating Contest, the Apple Pie Contest, the Apple Bobbing Contest and the Buckeye State Kiddie Tractor Pull, just to name a few events.
The evening’s entertainment lineup includes B&C Shakin Stompers at 6 p.m., Disciples of Christ at 6 p.m. and the Apple Festival “Got Talent” Contest at 8:45 p.m. The Talent Contest is open to all ages. Any talent is welcome, but no lip syncing. Signups will be allowed until 8 p.m. The cost is $5. All acts must not exceed seven minutes and be family-friendly.
The Ohio State University (OSU) Marching Band, also known as “The Best Damn Band in the Land,” is coming to the City of Jackson on Saturday, Sept. 20. The OSU Marching Band is slated to march in the 84th Annual Jackson Apple Festival Grand Finale Parade. The last time the OSU Marching Band was in the parade was in 2001. The OSU Band will also appear and perform that afternoon at Alumni Stadium for the Jackson High School Band Festival. (Photo Courtesy The Ohio State University Marching Band Facebook page)
On Thursday, Sept. 18, the Jackson Apple Festival activities will start at noon at the General Mills Stage. Parents of little ones may also be interested in the Baby Stroller Races at 12 p.m. and the Baby Crawling Contest at 1 p.m. Both contests have a $1 entry fee. There will be a Wing Eating Contest, sponsored by Rowdy’s Smokehouse, at 5:30 p.m. at the General Mills Stage. Live music begins at 5 p.m. with Basement Collective at the Elks Lodge #466 Stage, then at 6:30 p.m. with Frank Grass at the General Mills Stage. Those concerts will be followed by Echos of Appalachia at the Elks Lodge #466 Stage at 7 p.m., and the highlight entertainment, the Shane Runion Band at the General Mills Stage at 8 p.m.
On Friday, Sept. 19, the festival will feature Nashville Artist Dillon Carmichael at 9 p.m. on the General Mills Stage. Born and raised in Burgin, Kentucky, the 6’4” Carmichael first rose to fame in 2018 on the strength of his critically acclaimed Riser House debut, the Dave Cobb-produced “Hell On An Angel,” which prompted NPR to praise his “deep holler” and The New York Times to declare that his voice moves “with the heft and certainty of a tractor-trailer.”
The 84th edition of the Jackson Apple Festival will wrap up on Saturday, Sept. 20 with a day packed full of events from morning to night.
The big draw for Saturday this year is that “The Best Damn Band in the Land” is coming to Jackson! The Ohio State University (OSU) Marching Band is slated to march in the Jackson Apple Festival Grand Finale Parade, which always steps off at 7:45 p.m. There are 270 members in the collegiate marching band. The last time the OSU Marching Band was in the parade was in 2001.
The OSU Band will also appear and perform that Saturday afternoon at Jackson High School’s Alumni Stadium for the Jackson High School Band Show. The OSU Band will perform along with 12 high school bands. Tickets cost $20 each.
Among Saturday’s activities will be a 5K Run, Pretty Baby Contest, the annual Apple Town Car Show at Manpower Park, the Apple Festival Volleyball Tournament at Jackson High School Gym, Meet and Greet with Batman, and the Grand Finale Parade, which features over 175 units, a band competition and float judging.
The top-10 2025 Little Miss Apple Festival Queen Contest will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday on the Main Stage. The finalists include: Oaklynn Davis, Evelyn Hale, Palmer Ferris, Clara Brown, Ayzlee Daniels, Mazie De La Cruz, Brelynn Wilson, Lauren McWilliams, Sophie Pierpont, and Paisyn Walters. The crowning will happen at 12:15 p.m.
There is some live music starting at 12:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, with 8 Lives Left at the Elks Lodge #466 Stage, then Hillibilly Chic at the Elks Lodge #466 Stage at 2:30 p.m., the Red Brush Band at the General Mills Stage at 5:30 p.m. and the Travis Brown Band at the Elks Lodge #466 Stage at 5:30 p.m.
The festival closes at 11 p.m.
Throughout the festival, be sure to check out the Jackson Apple Festival Royalty displays. The Queen’s Window Display is located in the window of Micheal’s Ice Cream; the Little Miss Queens Display is located at Ohio Valley Bank; the Past Court Members display is located at WesBanco; and the Past Queens Display is located at the Jackson-Vinton Farm Bureau.
Also, visitors can check out the Craft Show at the Memorial Building, the Apple Festival Art Invitational at the Markay Cultural Center, and the numerous festival booths and exhibits along the midway.
One other highlight is the Victory Grange’s apple butter. Each year, members of the Victory Grange and volunteers team up to make apple butter in a big pot on the midway. They will have apple butter available in pint or quart jars.
For more on the Jackson Apple Festival check out their website www.jacksonapplefestival.org.
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